Ubiquitous genetic Tks5 haploinsufficiency was shown to attenuate BLM-induced pulmonary fibrosis with a plethora of readout assays (Fig. 4), and Tks5+/- LFs were shown to form fewer podosomes, resulting in diminished aECM invasion (Fig. 5), thus establishing a major pathogenetic role for Tks5-enabled podosomes and LF ECM invasion in pulmonary fibrosis. The gene discussed is SH3PXD2A; the disease is pulmonary fibrosis.